Bridge Academy joins nationwide event to trump Alzheimer’s

Published 4:00 am, Sunday, June 19, 2016

The Westside Bridge Academy will join hundreds of players across the country to raise money by playing in a daylong bridge game, allowing players to honor friends and loved ones affected by the disease while also keeping their own mental skills sharp.

For the fourth consecutive year, the American Contract Bridge League, the sanctioning body for the game of bridge, is teaming up with the Alzheimer’s Association to raise money for Alzheimer’s research in one of the group’s signature fundraising events - The Longest Day.

The Westside Bridge Academy has a fundraising goal of $10,000 for Alzheimer’s research. To raise this money, the bridge club will hold a bridge exhibition at Memorial City Mall on June 18 from 10am-6pm, where anyone can come to learn mini-bridge, which is a beginner’s version of a game similar to spades. The general public is encouraged to attend, and they will be asking for donations.

Held on the summer solstice - June 20, The Longest Day symbolizes the challenging journey of those living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. The disease is very personal for two bridge players from Westside Bridge Academy who are participating in The Longest Day. Dan Morse and Gil Michelletti are bridge partners whose wives both struggled with Alzheimer’s. They served as caretakers and relied on each other during a challenging time in their lives.

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With an average age of 69, ACBL’s members - most of whom play regularly at local bridge clubs - are significantly affected by Alzheimer’s disease. The Longest Day is an opportunity for bridge players to join the fight against the disease while receiving the mental and social healthy aging benefits the game of bridge offers.

“For ACBL and our members, this is not only a great cause but something that’s very personal,” said Robert Hartman, CEO of ACBL. “Through The Longest Day, our members have succeeded not only at fundraising but also creating awareness of both bridge and the healthy aging benefits of the game within their local communities. We look forward to seeing what our members come up with this year.”

In the past three years, more than 200 bridge clubs have raised more than $1.7 million for the Alzheimer’s Association, providing much-needed funds for the care, support and research efforts it leads. This year, ACBL is expecting a similar level of participation and aims to raise more than $500,000. Bridge players have already raised more than $120,000.